Resources, Training, and Tools

Whether your company is in the first stages of the GSA Schedules process, or you’ve already enjoyed great success as a federal contractor, resources are available to help your company achieve its best, from market assessment tools to training.

For Assistance with Your Schedules ContractContract assistance can be found at the GSA acquisition center that handles your particular Schedule. Seven centers across the country handle various categories of products or services. The product category or service will determine which of the seven acquisition centers will handle your schedule.

Find links to each center (which detail each center’s products and services specialization) under Additional Resources on the right. Nongovernmental Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, known as PTACs, also offer far-ranging assistance to government contractors, at little or no cost.

Call or email questions to one of these GSA contacts assigned to your Schedules contract:

Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) – Negotiates and awards your contract, and continues to serve as a resource to answer questions about the Schedules program and approve/reject all contract modifications.

Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO) – Is assigned after your contract is awarded, and handles the quarterly remittance of the Industrial Funding Fee, as well as providing tips on attaining success through the Schedules program.

Industrial Operations Analyst (IOA) – Conducts Contractor Assistance Visits (CAV) at your work site, for assessing your compliance with the terms of your contract and offering advice on how to succeed. The CAV occurs at least twice during a five-year contract period.

Training Opportunities
To train your staff on how to best use your Schedules contract, or to learn more about finding federal business, seek out web-based and on-site training at GSA.

• Vendor Support Center – Is an online resource for contractors and prospective contractors to get information, review and report sales, and more. Available training includes the informative “New Contractor Orientation” webinar.

• Training for Vendors - Includes training events for vendors with GSA contracts, offered at various locations throughout the year and on the web.

• The Small Business Administration includes a Government Contracting office (http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/1/2986) that can assist with local business opportunities across the country. SBA has offices located in all 50 states, and also offers free or low cost training and counseling. In addition to their extensive web site of information, they also have an automated toll free answer desk with direct referrals to appropriate sources of information. Phone 1-800-U-ASK-SBA (1-800-827-5622) for more information.

e-Tools and Market Information Resources
The Supply and Procurement e-Tools page provides links to the most common tools you’ll use while servicing and marketing your contract. These include:

• GSA Advantage!® – Is an online shopping and ordering system for the federal government.

• eBuy – Is part of GSA Advantage! allowing contractors to submit responses to Request for Quotations (RFQs).

• Federal Procurement Data System-Next Generation (FPDS-NG) – Allows contractors to assess the federal market through valuable reporting tools and graphical features. Federal contracts valued over $3000 are reported to FPDS-NG so contractors can see who bought what, from whom, for how much, when, and where.